Schwarzmeer
The city-state of Schwarzmeer lies between the Central Mountains and the great Meer Lake in the region known as the Meerlands. To its south are the Noble States while Hoffendale is to its North. History Settlement Schwarzmeer was founded by settlers seeking to establish favorable trade routes around the Meer. It grew naturally out from the trading posts they built and spread westward towards the greater cities. The city was was quick to flourish and became an important hub of commerce. It was not long before the peoples of Schwarzmeer realised the trinkets and baubles that washed up onto the shore of the Meer were enchanted. People from far and wide traveled to the city to find fortune. Specialised boats were crafted to dredge the bottom of the lake and over the years the artifacts gathered from the lake bed became Schwarzmeer's most profitable export. Pelor's Glory For more information on this event, see here. During the period of drought known as Pelor's Glory was punishing for Scwarzmeer as what little farmland it possessed could scarcely feed it populace at the best of times. Schwarzmeer's past trading partners to its north proved unable or unwilling to trade foodstuff due to stewing conflicts. Schwarzmeer was forced to sell its goods cheaply to the Noble States. The price of dredge dropped harshly and many dredgers were forced out of business. This was made all the worse by the Meer, which under the heat of the drought produced a nauseating stench that permeated the entire city. Those who had the means to leave did so with many of the wealthier noble families moving their estates to Grostere or the Noble States, leaving the less well off to stew in the heat. The departure of much of the ruling class would have a lasting effect, causing a shift in power among those who controlled the dredge economy. Schwarzmeer's fortunes eventually turned after the end of Reute's War when the newly established kingdom of Hoffendale extended a hand of friendship. Thus began the long standing tradition of trade between the two countries, with foodstuffs from Hoffendale keeping the peoples of Schwarzmeer from going hungry. The Long Night and the Rise of the Dredger's Federation For more information on this event, see here. The Long Night proved to be a catastrophe for much of Etan but for Schwarzmeer it was the beginning of a time of wealth and growth. Refugees flooded into Schwarzmeer, having fled from the regions around Vorakor. Copperless and starving, the refugees proved a source of cheap labour for dredging. Dredging had previously been mostly performed by small family businesses but these began to be replaced by larger corporation who were willing to take advantage of the new arrivals. The sudden growth of these new corporation threw Schwarzmeer's economy into disarray. Competition between corporations flared out of control as both the city and the dredgers lacked the infrastructure to support the growth. In reaction, several large corporations banded together to form the Dredger's Federation. The Federation quickly grew to dominate its competitors. Divine Era For more information on this event, see here. When the Exarch Allarcia arrived on the material plane, her first destination was Schwarzmeer. Striding through the city with little introduction she reached the city docks and in an awe inspiring demonstration of power, reached out and raised from the bottom of the lake the ruins of an ancient city. These were the ruins of Shi-Meer-Jan, the fabled source of Schwarzmeer's dredged treasures and which now remained suspended off the coast of the lake, connected to the city by a stone causeway. Allarcia led her followers across and into the ruins. By raising the city, Allarcia unwittingly released Jhaxi from his imprisonment and the withered demi-god crawled eastward towards the Rimecost. The Big Dry When the Waterside Company slew Jhaxi at the behest of the Archfey, the enchantment that had long been woven into the Meer began to unravel. Over the course of the following months, the dredge on which the city so relied would dry into a mere trickle. The hold the Federation held on the city evaporated and mass rioting and unrest, fueled by anxiety over Tiamat's return, consumed the city. Many political powers seized on the chaos to their own ends. The Federation withdrew men from Harlodsfort to quell unrest in the city, allowing the Rimenfolk to reverse the annexation from centuries past. In the Topslats, the Federation was able to consolidate its power and regained control. Valuable ships, materials and hoarded wealth were confiscated from the other boroughs before a makeshift barricade was erected upon the Topslats southern border. It is now the only borough that retains the name of Schwarzmeer. The Acolytes of Allarcia had prepared for a collapse by strategically purchasing land in Doppeltown. By providing magical aid to the suffering peoples and quietly driving out Federation stalwarts, the cult succeeded in gaining control of Doppeltown, dubbing it Allaran, though the peoples of Etan have quickly come to refer to it as Lesser Outland. In the south, Sudbezirk and Kongins fell into lawlessness, despite the intervention of the Hallowed Assault. The Grimelord, aided by an outside power, intentionaly sowed further chaos. Rioting and violence drew on and on while the influence of the Grimelord multiplied. When the unrest finally settled, the boroughs declared themselves sovereign as Pechbezirk. Geography and Demography Borders Hoffendale Hoffendale lies on the border closest to the city proper. It forms the largest single border with Schwarzmeer. Thoruum and the Central Mountains The Noble States Schwarzmeer's southern borders are with the Noble States. Schwarzmeer is built entirely around the Meer and hugs the lakes perimeter closely. The city becomes more impoverished as one goes further south and the lower edge of the city is a mass of slums and ghettos. Rimecost Schwarzmeer shares a border with Rimecost which runs from the north-eastern corner of the Meer to the sea. This border is a key component of Schwarzmeer's continued domination of the Meer's riches and it is leveraged by Schwarzmeer to cripple trade that might pass through Rimecost instead of it's own trade routes. Boroughs Schwarzmeer is comprised of a number of boroughs, each of which has some level of administrative autonomy. They are formed largely along the historical turf of major dredge corporations. Lesser Outland For more information on this region, see here. The area between the Meer's west coast and the mountains. Once known as Doppeltown, it was the most industrious and built-up area of Schwarzmeer. Massive scraper-docks are located here as well as warehouses and the repurposed headquarters for dredging corporations. The Topslats The Topslats run along the north edge of the Meer. Considered the most upscale area of the city, it houses the abodes of the most wealthy. Sudbezirk For more information on this region, see here. The southernmost borough and the poorest. Sudbezirk is home to many smaller dredge firms and family businesses. It is rife with crime and corruption which is typically ignored by the Federation so long as it does not hinder business. Kongins For more information on this region, see here. To the west of Sudbezirk is the region of Kongins. The only borough not to border the Meer, it lacks the urban buildup of the other boroughs. Harlodsfort A borough in name only, Harlodsfort was annexed from the Rimecost during the chaos of the Long Night. The seizure was performed by the Harlod brothers, backed by the other corporations in what was effectively the first coordinated act of the soon to be Federation. The annexation allowed the Federation to cripple any trade that might pass through the Rimecost with punishing tariffs and border checks. Harlodsfort is largely uninhabited, sharing the grim and inhospitable terrain of the Rimecost. The region contains a handful of fishing hamlets and fortified checkpoints manned by Federation men. Languages Society Schwarzmeer has a diverse racial makeup with the largest demographic being human. Dwarves make up a notable portion of the city, especially in administrative positions. Goblins and Orcs make up a portion of the working class, though the goblinoids are mostly limited to ghettos. The Halflings are notable for making up an overwhelming majority of those living in the slums in the south of the city. Schwarzmeer's population numbers around one hundred and twenty thousand spread out and around over the greater lake area. Schwarzmeer has what amounts to a functional meritocracy. Charisma and savvy are more often what decides someones success in life rather than race or wealth. Education is given a great amount of respect and company worker's will spend their salary happily to give their children a quality schooling. Most social conflict in Schwarzmeer is the result of rivalries between companies. Citizens tend to strongly identify with the company that they or their parents work for and feuds are often sparked on the streets by disagreements over land negotiations and trade rights. Politics The Dredger's Federation Schwarzmeer lacks an official ruling body. Instead the city is controlled by the various major trading companies within the city. Most of these companies are in the trade of dredging and are formed into the loose alliance of the Dredger's Federation. The Federation was formed in the wake of the Long Night and its influence over the city has only grown since then. The Dredger's Federation is ruthless in practice and often leverages it's power to quash the agendas of any non-allied company. Criminal Underworld There is a powerful criminal influence in Schwarzmeer which becomes more pervasive the further one south one visits. Criminal gangs fence and resell goods and commonly rob and pilfer from the companies. The underworld is said to be overseen by the an almost mythical crime-lord nicknamed 'The Grimelord'. Some tales speak of him as an enormous ten tailed Ratfolk while others describe him as an obese and bloated Halfling. The Grimelord's true identity and agenda is unknown although he consistently acts against the wishes of the Federation. Military Federation Men Schwarzmeer does not maintain it's own military force. In lieu of an official guard force Schwarzmeer's laws are upheld by the Dredger's Federation. Each federation company devotes a portion of it's security force to work as guards colloquially known as 'Federation Men' who are expected to keep the peace instead of working only towards their employers orders. These guards are rarely trained formally; some are competent policers while others could best be described as hired goons. Mercenaries In times of war Schwarzmeer makes ample use of mercenary forces to defend the city. These mercenaries are armed and armored to the finest degree and on the battlefield they are accompanied by advanced artillery supplied by the Federation. Economy The Dredge Economy Schwarzmeer's economy is rooted in the business of dredging. The Meer is famed for the apparently limitless riches scattered across the its floor. Dredgers head out onto the lake to scrape these goods off the lake bed before returning to shore to sell them on. Coastal dredging is generally performed by smaller family outfits, often just a handful of dredgers on a 'S''cratcher''' boat. Coastal dredges often return small amount of semi-precious metals, gemstones and old artefacts. The dredging corporations dredge away from the coasts, utilising huge dredge-ships or '''Scrapers'. ''The dredge from these ventures is far more valuable. Heaps of gold, enchanted relics and mystical trinkets are dug out from under heaps of sediment. Exports The vast majority of Schwarzmeer's export come directly from dredging. Schwarzmeer's other notable exports are mostly fine technologies. Many novel and useful gadgets have been-reverse engineered from dredged artefacts and are produced by artisans in Schwarzmeer. Most of Schwarzmeer's exports are to Hoffendale and the Noble States. Imports Schwarzmeer imports an enormous amount of food to feed it's peoples as it has very little arable land and limited fishing can be done on the Meer. The greatest portion of its imports comes from Hoffendale, which it relies on to feed its peoples. The imports are handled by the dredging corporations which gives them control over the people's foodstuffs, a fact which only contributes to their control of the city. Trade Routes Scharzmeer, located as it is between the central mountains and the Meer, lies on a prime trade route between north and south Etan. Trade caravans pass through regularly on their way back and forth between the Noble States, Thoruum and Hoffendale. Adventurers will often divert through Schwarzmeer in order to peruse the multitude of mystical items dredged up from the lake. Religion Schwarzmeer was in the past a relatively secular region, with fewer and smaller temples to the ten than its neighbours. Since the Divine Era it has become the home to not one but three separate exarchs who have brought with them their own respective cults and followers. The Acolytes Allarcia have made the largest impact. Through the cult itself is largely limited to the risen city of Shi-Meer-Jan, they control a large swathe of the coast and an ever growing number of citizens choose to pay worship to Allarcia or Aureon. Any who have spent time in Schwarzmeer can attest that its inhabitants display a deep reverence of the Meer, which is often personified as a benevolent watcher who provides for those who live on its banks. It is a common practice to give thanks to the lake before a meal or following a bountiful dredge. It is not unknown for tributes to be thrown into the lake during hard times or for cult-like groups to arise with the Meer as an object of worship. Category:Location